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Tourism plays an important role in economic and human development in the Pacific. These benefits are at risk from the impacts of climate change, threatening the sustainability of the Pacific tourism sector. We assess the vulnerability and resilience of nature-based tourism in Vava’u, Tonga, using the Destination Sustainability Framework of Calgaro (2014) modified for a climate change focus. Our empirical assessment indicates that the following factors increase vulnerability levels in Vava’u: strong seasonality, dependency on air access, remoteness, limited connectivity of Vava’u from national decision makers and limited human and financial resources. Resilience levels in Vava’u are heightened by a high awareness of climate change, the resilient nature of Tongans and strong family and social networks. In conclusion, we recommend a set of adaptation strategies to further improve resilience levels, namely improving climate change education, increasing product and market diversification, strengthening institutional capacities and mainstreaming adaptation in national policies.

This article explores the role of stakeholder engagement in building resilience to the impacts of bushfire. The discussion is informed by a study of Harrietville-a naturebased tourism destination in NE Victoria, Australia, that was affected by a major bushfire in 2013. Harrietville is a small town that acts as the gateway to premier ski fields and provides access to abundant nature-based attractions including iconic bushwalks, touring routes and rivers. The research aim was to investigate the impact of bushfire on the tourism economy and was based on a visitor survey and in-depth interviews with representatives from across stakeholder groups. A Destination Sustainability Framework (DSF) was applied to identify key vulnerability and resilience characteristics of the town as well as to identify opportunities for adaptation to future fires. Fragmented stakeholder communications and a lack of community engagement in planning for bushfire prevention, emergency management and recovery are identified as a key vulnerability. In response, government has successfully implemented initiatives to strengthen stakeholder relationships and engage the community in emergency planning processes. The article provides an important case study of resilience building by small tourism destinations as well as highlighting the importance of connecting with local knowledge in bushfire management.

Luganville is a developing dive tourism destination region (DtDr) in Vanuatu, which relies on tourism. this article reports on the shocks and stressors faced by Luganville's dive tourism sector and climate change's exacerbation of these. the study's methodology was based on rapid rural appraisal and case study principles, involving methods of semistructured interviews, group discussions, and personal observations. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. key shocks identified include cyclones, earthquakes, effect on demand due to media footage, and changes to international flights. Main stressors were starfish outbreaks and environmental degradation. Unlike the indigenous communities, expatriates show little concern for the potential impact of climate change, presenting response challenges that must incorporate different perspectives to develop effective adaptation options.

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